Thousands of pet owners and their dogs came together this weekend to celebrate the special bond between man and its best friend at Woofstock Festival.

Yorkshire terrier Remy made the finals for the Best Dressed Dog competition at Woofstock (Picture: REX)

More than 300,000 dog lovers attended the two-day event in Toronto, Canada, whose name is inspired by the world-famous Woodstock festival.

Described as ‘the summer of canine love’ when it was launched in 2003, the festival has grown from a local event into the largest of its kind dedicated to all things dog.

‘We started small in 2003 in the Distillery District,’ organiser Marlene Cook told the Toronto Sun. ‘I wanted to do an event that honoured household dogs.

‘I didn’t realise how popular it would become. It just took off.’

A dressed up dog attend this year’s Woofstock Festival (Picture: REX)

Now in its ninth year, the event features a doggie fashion and talent show and an award for the best-dressed dog.

Dogs dressed in hats, coats and glasses were paraded at the festival which also featured a competition to find a pooch to play The Wizard of Oz’s Toto in new American TV reality series Over the Rainbow.

A Chinese crested dog sports a tutu on the runway at Woofstock in Toronto (Picture: AP /The Canadian Press)

Yorkshire terrier Remy, kitted out as a biker in a black leather jacket and glasses, was the undoubted star of the show in the best-dressed dog category.

Previous winners of the crown include a dog dressed as Bob Marley and a hound wearing a costume inspired by the Men In Black 2 film trilogy.